Automobile engine-lock valve.



' WIT/V5863 H 925 a U John GRiTz' J. G. RITZ.

AUTOMOBILE ENGINE LOCK VALVE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 23, 1915.

LILMALOOGD Patented May 25, 1915.

INVENTOR i: M By A TTORHE Y8 fli llillll ATEEW JOHN Gr. BLITZ, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

AUTOMOBILE ENGINE-LOCK VALVE.

: To all whom it may concern:

i the city of New York, borough of Brooklyn,

in the county of Kings and State of New 'York, have invented a new and Improved Automobile Engine-Lock Valve, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to improvements in safety devices, and particularly to an improved lock for gasolene engines used on,

automobiles and various other places where the engine and associated parts are adapted to move from place to place.

The object in view is to provide an improved locking valve which will positively prevent the operation of the engine when the valve is in a locked position, the location of the valve being such that the removal or tampering of the valve cannot be done with the hope of starting the engine.

Another object in view is to provide a valve and a lock therefor, the Valve being arranged in the mixture intake manifold or pipes of the engine in order that no successful bridging of the valve can be made.

In the accompanying drawings-Figure 1 is a fragmentary view of an automobile engine showing an embodiment of the invention applied thereto; Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical horizontal section through an embodiment of the invention, the same being taken on line 22 of Fig. 3; Fig. 3 is a sectional view through Fig. 2 taken on line 33; Fig. 4 isa 'view similar to Fig. 3, the parts being shown in a different position.

Referring to the accompanying drawings by numerals, 1 indicates an engine ofany desired kind provided with the usual manifold'2 'forguiding the explosive mixture into the cylinders. The manifold 2 is supplied with a pipe 3 preferably comparatively short, and leading directly from the carburetor a: which may be of any desired type.

The carburetor 4 is supplied with gasolene or other fuel through pipe 5,which pipe extends to the supply tank arranged at any suitable point. It will be observed that the gasolene or other fuel must be supplied to the carbureter 4, and after it has been carbureted the fuel passes through pipe 3 and through the casing 6 to the manifold 2, and from thence into the cylinders. The casing 6 as shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 4a is Specification of Letters Patent.

f segment 16 will move three quarters o quarters revolution free and Application filed February 23, 1915. Serial N 0. 9,986.

merely a tubular structure provided with. a laterally extending tubular portion 7 for receiving a lock 8. The casing (3 is provided with an enlargement 9 for receiving the end of shaft 10, which shaft extends through the opposite side of the casing as shown in Fig. 2, and has connected therewith 11. A butterfly valve 12 is rigidly conne ed with the shaft 10, and is limited in movement by pins 13 and so t valve may be correctly closed or The disk or'valve 12 is preferably ii a slot in shaft 10 and clamped therein in; any desired manner, as for instance by suitable screw. This valve is of course iaddition to the usual throttle valve asso ciated with the carburetor l, and is intended to be closed only when the engine has to be lockedagainst operation.

, tion. The rotating portion 15 has connected therewith at the inner end a segment 16 which is rotated with the rotating section, said segment being substantially one quarter of a circle so that when the lock is open the circle before the same engages pin 11. Elf ter the segment engages pin 11 it will force the same a quarter of a revolution before v the key can be removed. It will be observed that a quarter of a turnwouid be suiiicient for opening or closing the butterfly valve 12, but the key cannot be removed from the rotating portion 15 except on a eon'iplete revolution, and therefore the segment 16 is provided which will be allowed. a t ree ters revolution acting on the p for closing or opening the valve It will be observed that the buttei occupies a very small amount of t ace and therefore allows a full flow of explosive n1;- ture from the carburetor into the ongi which would not be the case of an o ground valve unless the valve is made an M unreasonable size, which would he if not impossible to apply to pipe 3. to be noted that in automobiles thesp'ace applying attachments of this kind is very small, and in the present invention it is aimed to provide a casing which is substantially the same size as the pipe 3, though if desired the same may be slightly larger. The *asing 6 is adapted to be frictionally secured in place by welding, brazing or other suitable means so that it cannot be removed without entirely disabling the engine, It is to be noted that the casing t3 and associated parts are arranged between the carbureter and the manifold and preferably as near the manifold as possible so that there will be no chance of bridging of the casing in case an unauthorized person should remove the same by sawing or breaking in any manner. Unauthorized persons have at different times removed valves and locks arranged in the gasolene feed pipe 5, and have bridged the broken part or valve by a flexible tube through which the gasolene freely flows. In SOllllGlllSijEtllCfiS an unauthorized person has broken pipe 5 and connected a flexible tube therewith which in turn was connected. with a supply provided by such unauthorized person, which supply" may be arranged on the body of the automobile or at any convenient point while the unauthorized person starts the engine. Ry arranging the valve 12 in pipe no supply of xplosive matter can be supplied to the engine as it necessary to pass the fuel through a carbureter before it ran possibly be utilized in'the cylinders of the engine. Therefore, the location of the casing 6 and associated parts is important and presents the advantage of a structure which cannot be overcome by any of the practices heretofore used What I claim is- In a device of the character described, a casing provided With a drum and an upstanding housing, a butterfly valve arranged in said drum, stops arranged in the drum for limiting the movement of the valve, a shaft carrying said valve, one end of said shaft extending through the wall of said drum into said housing, a pin secured to the end of the shaft extending into the housing, and a lock in said housing provided with a rotary section requiring a complete rotation before the key can be withdrawn, and a segment rigidly secured to said rotary section, said segment being slightly less than a, quadrant whereby the butterfly valve is held against movement in one direction by one of said stops and I against movement in the opposite direction by said segment when the key is removed from said rotary section.

In testimony whereof I have slgned my name to this specification 1n the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN G. RITZ.

ivitnesses 2 bus. T. EMMERIGH, A. L. Krrorim. 

